disease management Archives - Page 2 of 3

May 25, 2022 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Some Good Carbohydrates For Diabetics

Although it’s a complicated disorder, Diabetes can be reversed. Choosing healthy foods and drinks, in essence, managing nutrition, is the key to manage diabetes. Carbohydrates are among the foods that we start avoiding in case we see high sugar levels. We start considering carbs as an enemy, which is definitely not the case.

Ideally, when we eat carbohydrates, the body converts it into glucose which further increases sugar levels. It is due to this that we consider avoiding carbohydrates. They are an integral part of a healthy diet and before we begin to avoid them, we need to understand them.

There are 2 types of Carbohydrates

Simple carbs: which are easily broken down in the body, they lead to a sudden increase in the sugar levels.
Complex carbs: which are absorbed slowly in the body and due to this, there isn’t a sudden increase in the sugar levels.

So complete elimination of carbohydrates is not recommended, rather we can shift to a diet which provides a good amount of complex carbs. Starch and fibers are the types of complex carbs, and as we all know, there are lots of health benefits of including fibers in the diet.

Good Carbs You Can Include

Fruits
Vegetables
Whole Grain products
Beans
Pulses
Nuts

How To Incorporate Complex Carbs In Your Diet

Replace wheat rotis with multigrain or oats rotis
Replace the white rice with brown rice
You can also replace the brown rice with Dalia or Quinoa, if or whenever possible
Include more vegetables in your meals
Have at least 1 portion of fruits a day – preferably apple, papaya, guava, pears, cherries or berries
Include salads in at least 1 meal a day
Add boiled beans, sprouts, boiled pulses, nuts or mixed seeds to the salads

With these tips, do remember that it is not just reducing the carbs but an overall lifestyle modification that is really important. With the diet, it is really important to follow an exercise routine, to manage stress and to cut down any unwanted habits of smoking or alcohol. If you are a diabetic and have stopped having carbs, do start including complex carbs in a limited portion in your daily routines.

Please note that before you begin with any of the aforementioned foods, kindly check with your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. We hope this article on Good Carbohydrates for Diabetics helps you – do share it with your friends and family. For more on diabetes management, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by our experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

February 18, 2022 By Rashmi Deshpande 8 Comments

5 Hormones That Have a Big Impact on Your Health

Ever experienced a sudden mood swing? Or, have you been experiencing a lot of fatigue or sleepless nights? Your body experiences many changes from birth to adolescence to adulthood. Most of these changes, both physical and mental are regulated by the hormones present in our body.

Hormones are the chemical messengers of our body. They travel through our bloodstream and hold the key to optimum health. In essence, they affect metabolism, sexual function, reproduction, growth and development and even have an effect on our mood.

A better understanding of the hormones that influence our wellbeing and how to activate them will help us live better and healthier lives.

Let’s have a look!

1. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

We are quite familiar with this hormone nowadays! It is a pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine T4 and triiodothyronine T3 which stimulates the metabolism of almost every tissue in our body.

Abnormality in this hormone is seen by sudden weight gain, weight loss, dry skin, mood swings, severe sensitivity to cold or heat, depression with weak metabolism and even enlarged gland in the form of goiter.

The abnormalities in this hormone can be treated effectively with lifestyle modification, medicine, yoga, exercises and regular checkup of hormone. It has mainly two types: Hypo & Hyper. Normal range is:

TSH: 0.5 – 4.15 mU/L
T4: 6-12ug/dL
T3: 240 -280 ug/dL

2. Insulin

“Hey! I am on insulin!”

At some point, we have heard this from a diabetic person. Insulin is released by the pancreas, which is a leaf like gland situated in the abdominal cavity behind the stomach. It regulates the body’s glucose or sugar levels, which are derived from carbohydrates.

It also allows the body to store and utilize glucose for energy and when it is released into the bloodstream, it causes either hyper or hypo glycemia.

Abnormality in insulin levels can cause weight gain or weight loss, frequent urination, feeling hungry all the time, fatigue, wounds taking longer to heal, etc. These sudden changes in body are just because of insulin function, either it is not produced in enough quantity or unable to act currently.

Easy and most effective treatment is lifestyle modification, healthy eating habits, keeping the body active, managing stress and medication. Referred Range:

Random blood glucose: 70-100mg/dl
Fasting: 70 -110mg/dl
After meals: <140mg/dl

3. Cortisol (Stress Hormone)

There’s a fair chance that every second person you meet might be stressed! The stress hormone called Cortisol is produced by the adrenal gland. It helps us stay healthy and energetic. Its main role is to control physical and psychological stress.

Excess secretion of cortisol causes a number of side effects such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, sweating, and shivering. At stressful times, the body secretes cortisol to cope up with the situation. High level of cortisol consistently, causes ulcers, high blood pressure, anxiety, high levels of cholesterol, etc.

Similarly, low levels of cortisol in the body causes weakness, fatigue and low blood pressure. This can be controlled by sharing feelings, meditation, doing what you like (some hobby), listening to music, spending time with family, going out for vacations, prayers and at last psychiatric treatment with medication.

4. Sex Hormones

This hormone is categorized into male and female hormones respectively:

Testosterone: It is a male sex hormone. An anabolic steroid by nature, it helps in building body muscles. In males, it plays an important role in the development of male reproductive tissues; testes and prostate. It also promotes secondary sexual characteristics like increasing the mass of muscles and bones, growth of body hair etc. If testosterone secretion is insufficient in men, then it may lead to abnormalities, including frailty and bone loss. This can be treated with medication.
Progesterone: This hormone is produced in the ovaries, the placenta and the adrenal glands when a woman gets pregnant. It stimulates and regulates various functions. Progesterone plays an important role in maintaining pregnancy as it helps the body prepare for conception, pregnancy and regulates the monthly cycle. When pregnancy doesn’t occur, progesterone levels drop, and menstrual cycle occurs. It also plays a role in sexual desire. Any abnormalities can be treated with home remedies and medication.

5. Serotonin

We all need this happy hormone during stressful days! It is associated with learning and memory, regulating sleep, digestion, regulates mood, some muscular functions, etc. Imbalance in this hormone may affect the brain’s function to control stress levels and mood well.

Low level of serotonin causes depression, migraine, weight gain, insomnia, craving of carbohydrates, etc. Excess levels of serotonin in the body causes agitation, stage of confusion, sedation, etc.

After knowing about the 5 hormones which are essential for good health, it is obvious that the key to keeping them in balance is healthy eating, an active lifestyle and good rest with meditation. Make sure that you check with your doctor for imbalances and irregularities of your hormones and take the necessary actions suggested by your doctor. You can also consult a GOQii Doctor via the GOQii App for consultation.

Do share your thoughts and queries in the comments below!

Be balanced! Be happy! #BeTheForce!

December 19, 2021 By Luke Coutinho 6 Comments

Why Your Body Needs Curcumin or Turmeric Extract!

Many mails, white papers and journals have been written on the power of turmeric extract, now termed as ‘Yellow Gold’ in the west. The fascinating part is that the consumption of Curcumin has been linked to positive benefits in almost every possible disease or ailment one can think of. From cancer to arthritis, to the possible prevention of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

How Curcumin Eases Disease

Cardiovascular Disease
Numerous studies show that it may have a protective role in cardiovascular diseases. Since cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death, one can argue that everyone should include turmeric in their diet, or perhaps take a turmeric supplement. One study discusses how the antioxidant effects of Curcumin may prevent diabetic cardiovascular complications.

The same study shows that the anti-thrombotic, anti-proliferative, and anti-inflammatory effects of Curcumin and the effect of it decreasing the serum cholesterol level may protect against the pathological changes occurring with atherosclerosis.

Another study demonstrates how dietary Curcumin is effective at inhibiting maladaptive cardiac repair and preserving cardiac function after ischemia and reperfusion. It also goes on to say that it has potential as a treatment for patients who have had a heart attack.

Diabetes
This, of course, also ties into cardiovascular health but there have been separate studies which show how Curcumin can help with diabetes. One study involved people in a pre-diabetic population who were taking Curcumin (or a placebo) for 9 months. The study concluded by showing that it significantly lowered the number of pre-diabetic individuals who eventually developed type 2 diabetes. The same study also showed that it appeared to improve overall function of beta cells. Another study concluded that Curcumin supplementation could improve diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction significantly. Yet, another study demonstrated how it attenuates diabetic neuropathic pain.

Asthma and Allergies
A few studies have shown that it might be beneficial for people with asthma and allergies. One study showed that Curcumin treatments markedly attenuated the inflammation in asthma by regulating T regulatory/Th17 balance. The findings supported the possible use of Curcumin as a therapeutic drug for patients with allergic asthma. Another study showed that it alleviates the pathological changes of chronic asthma, and might be a promising therapy for asthma in the future

Skin Diseases
It can even help with certain skin conditions! One study discusses how it protects the skin by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation. The same study also mentioned how it reduces wound-healing time, improved collagen deposition and increased fibroblast and vascular density in wounds, thereby enhancing both normal and impaired wound-healing. The study concluded by suggesting that Curcumin might be a potent nontoxic agent for treating skin diseases. Another study suggests that Oral Curcumin might be beneficial in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis, although it concluded by stating that large placebo-controlled studies are necessary before recommending Oral Curcumin as a psoriasis treatment.

Autoimmunity
To no surprise, because it can help greatly with inflammation, this herb can be extremely valuable in the treatment of certain autoimmune conditions, including Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Thyroid cancer is the most common type of cancer when it comes to the endocrine system. A recent study reported that Curcumin inhibits multiple metastasis steps of K1 papillary thyroid cancer cells. These findings showed that it might be effective for the treatment of aggressive papillary thyroid carcinomas.

Other Benefits
There are even more potential benefits of taking Curcumin. One study discussed how dietary Curcumin is a strong candidate for use in the prevention or treatment of major disabling age-related neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and stroke. Another study suggested that it has enormous potential in the prevention and therapy of cancer. It might also be useful as a treatment for ulcerative colitis as well as benefit people with osteoarthritis.

Want to know more about Curcumin or Turmeric Extract? Ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more articles on nutrition, tune in to Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

December 18, 2020 By Yogita Agarwal 5 Comments

The Effect Of Complex Carbs On High Cholesterol

The ill effects of high cholesterol is not alien knowledge to us. We all know how it impacts our health and wellbeing. Before we delve into the role complex carbs play with regards to high cholesterol, let’s understand what cholesterol is. It is a waxy substance which our body needs to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. But, too much cholesterol is a problem. There is good cholesterol and there is bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is HDL, which is heart friendly fat and bad cholesterol is LDL, Triglycerides which should be within limit. If it increases, it can cause cardiac issues.

Cholesterol comes from two sources in our body:

From the food we eat like meat, poultry, dairy products, etc.
Our liver makes and releases it in our body

The Correlation of Complex Carbs and Cholesterol

Carbohydrates is a group of chemical substances made up of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They include starches, sugars, glycogen, dextrins and celluloses. There are 2 types of Carbohydrates: Simple carbs and Complex Carbs. Both affect our cholesterol levels differently.

Simple Carbs: are refined, processed and have less fiber in it. They have a high glycemic index and affect blood sugar. Increased blood sugar will raise insulin levels which may increase cholesterol. Simple carbs are found in sugar, soda, white rice, white bread, pasta, pizza, noodles,cakes, cookies, snacks such as chips, nachos, etc.
Complex Carbs: are high in fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals. The body will take time to break down and release energy/glucose. As complex carbs are high in fiber, it helps reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides, helps in healthy heart function, and improves bowel movements. Oatmeal, oat bran, kidney beans, and brussels sprouts are good carbs; they have more soluble fiber, which helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol that gets absorbed into the bloodstream. We should include at least 5 to 10 gms of soluble fiber per day to see beneficial effects. Good sources of complex carbs include whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

You should include complex carbs in their natural form. For example:

Have whole fruit instead of fruit juice, soft drinks.
Go with whole grain instead of processed flours or refined flours.
Limit foods that are high in processed, refined food, simple sugar, which provides calories but has fewer nutrients in it.
Have more veggies and fruits which have more fiber and packed vitamins and minerals.
Focus on whole grains, cereals, legumes, pulses, sprouts, beans, lentils, and dried peas, etc.

Complex carbs help us reduce bad cholesterol. Always choose it over simple carbs. We hope this article helps you make healthy food choices. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce